Costa begins third Dubai cruise season

The Italian Costa Crociere group has just launched its third season operating cruises from Dubai.

Both Costa Crociere brands, Costa Cruises and AIDA Cruises, which in 2006 became the first cruise lines to operate scheduled seven-day Arabian Gulf cruises, have announced an increase in their voyages in the region.

Costa Cruises is expanding operations in the area by nearly 50 per cent, with the arrival of the Costa Classica and the Costa Victoria, and AIDA cruises will be doubling it offerings with the deployment of its largest cruise ship – the AIDAdiva – to the region.

Costa Cruises has also released its 2009/2010 schedule.

At the end of April, the Costa Luminosa will be put in service, after it has been fitted out in Venice. It will be christened in Genoa on 5 June and then deployed in Dubai.

The Costs Europa will join the Costa Luminosa in Dubai, where it will operate on a new itinerary for an eight-cruise series from Savona to Dubai and from Dubai to Savona.

AIDA Cruises, the group’s German brand, will be operating again on the AIDAdiva, offering two cruises from Dubai to India and India to Dubai at Christmas and at the New Year.

www.costacrociere.it